The Arabian Nights
Common Sense Media Review
By Diana Baron-Moore
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Engaging reimagining of Middle Eastern folktales for kids.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Listen
Parent and Kid Reviews
What’s It About?
Part of Spotify's slate of original podcasts for kids, The Arabian Nights is based on the classic folktale collection which compiled stories from around South, Central, and Western Asia as well as North Africa. As in the original text, the podcast introduces listeners to each new and exciting story through the frame narrative of Sharhazad, a clever girl caught breaking into the the sultan Sharyar's private library, or maktaba. To prevent the sultan from banishing her and her father, Sharhazad tells Sharyar a new story every night. Writer Susan Muaddi Daraj shifts away from the frightening and grim elements of these folktales while leaning into their beauty and fantasy with rich descriptions of places and creatures that will have kids' imaginations buzzing. While each episode tells a one of Sharhazad's stories, the series is best listened to in order with its growing cast of characters and developing storyline between Sharhazad and the sultan.
Is It Any Good?
This audio adaptation of One Thousand and One Nights is a fun, imaginative adventure that spins stories of generosity, fairness, and cooperation. The creators of The Arabian Nights have taken pains to make this engaging podcast both accessible and fun while honoring the rich history of these stories. It's funny, well paced, and features compelling sound design and voice acting. Kids will love the fantastical worlds of these stories full of delightful animals, bright jewels, and unexpected twists and turns.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what characters they most admire in The Arabian Nights. What positive traits do they display and why are those characteristics important to you?
What words did you hear that you don't know? Can we figure out what they mean using the words around them? Can we look up their meaning online?
Sinbad asks the sultan "what good is knowledge if you can't share it?". What do you think that means? What would you do if you had a library as big as the sultan's maktaba?
Themes of curiosity and courage can be found in each story. Why are these important character strengths?
This show is inspired by One Thousand and One Nights, an ancient collection of Middle Eastern folktales. Do some research and learn about some of these folktales. How do the stories in this podcast compare to the original stories? Can you learn more about the cultural significance of these folktales and why it's important for them to be told?
Podcast Details
- Release date: January 24, 2023
- Genre: Kids & Family
- Average Run Time: 20 minutes
- Production Companies and Networks: Spotify , Neon Hum Media
- Pricing structure: Free
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy , Adventures , Fairy Tales , Great Boy Role Models , Great Girl Role Models
- Character Strengths: Courage , Curiosity
- Award: Common Sense Selection
- Last updated: January 11, 2024
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
What to Listen to Next
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate